In WHO AM I? , a 1998 movie, Jackie Chan wakes up in an African village
after an accident only to discover he has no idea who he is.
When asked for his name by the natives, he responds by
asking himself, "Who Am I?" So the natives called him by this strange
name, "Who Am I?"
In our quiet moments, even without post-traumatic amnesia as
in Chan’s case, we may be asking ourselves this same question, "Who Am
I?"
This is not only a question asked by the traumatised or spiritually lost. It is also a most significant question we need to pose to
ourselves.
First, this question leads us in a quest to better understand
the meaning of life. When we ask ourselves, "Who
Am I?" we are indirectly asking ourselves these questions: Am I a product
of the creation by God? Or am I a product of chance or evolution? Why did I
come into this world? Besides survival,
is there a deeper reason – raison d'etre – why I should brave the traffic almost every day to go
to work? If life is so transient, why do we need to live in a responsible
manner? Why not eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die?
Second, this question is relevant to believers – those who
have resolved to some extent those metaphysical questions above – because it helps
them understand their calling. In this regard, we will not make much headway unless
we acknowledge that God’s wisdom is the best and far superior to our wisdom:
“Trust in the Lord with all
your heart
and lean not on
your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
For God’s destiny for our lives had
already been determined even while we were in our mother’s womb
(Jeremiah 1:5).
He is not only willing but able to
lead and guide us if we trust in Him:
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.
Do not be like the horse or the mule,
which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle
or they will not come to you” (Psalm 32:8-9).
Before Peter received his calling to
serve God, he first needed a supernatural revelation that
Jesus is God (Matthew 16: 13-19):
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked
his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”
They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah;
and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the
living God.”
Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for
this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.
And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock * I will build my church, and the gates
of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of
heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you
loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
Only an intimate relationship with
God grants us a supernatural revelation of His reality. Thereupon God is able
to speak to us, revealing His calling for our lives.
Before we get an answer for the question "Who am I?", we need to know who Jesus is. This
means we must be able to answer with conviction the question posed by Jesus:
“Who do you say I am?”
We know God’s calling primarily through revelation and not
so much from our own incessant “inner chatter” or other people’s opinion – though
the latter may give some helpful pointers.
RELATED POST:
IDENTITY CRISIS
Footnote:
* What is this rock?
It is the confession of faith by believers, not a person.
The true Rock and foundation of the Church is Christ
Himself.
The Church rests upon this Rock by her confession of faith.
